Next time you pop into the Auburn, you might barely even recognise the place. The local Hawthorn community has been gifted with a multi-million-dollar expansion to their favourite watering hole, with a new atrium-style dining hub within the adjacent Regan Motors site, kids' playground and extensive beer garden additions.
Standing proudly on the corner of Auburn Road and Victoria Street since 1888, the historic pub is a popular spot for drinks, pub grub and post-work gatherings. The new upgrades provide the perfect excuse to revisit the local destination this summer, with a new woodfire pizza bar, picnic tables and an extended sunny lawn area for family-friendly afternoons. The adjoining dining hub is a casual, laidback space for wining and dining, which includes a function space and sprawling deck to catch the rays during happy hour.
Patrons visiting post-reno won't be met with too alarming a change, though, with the hotel retaining the charm and community hub nature its known for. The exterior of this Hawthorn East mainstay has a commanding, fortress-like presence along the skyline as you approach via its namesake road. Inside the Auburn, however, you’re greeted with a pristine warmth akin to an upmarket country pub. Big screens populate most walls, with bar staff more than happy to accommodate requests for background music to be subdued in favour of blaring commentary.
The elegance of the connecting wine room permeates a touch of class into the front bar, carried over into the immaculately presented, astro-turf-lined beer garden. Both the bar menu and the tap beer range feel as if they’re the cream of the current crop. Longstanding champion Asahi neighbours the crisp, trendy Geelong ale Furphy occupying the row of taps along with Little Creatures Bright Ale and Boags Draught.
Expext a completely refreshed menu along with the new refurbishment, including much-loved pub classics, pizzas and smaller bites and plates perfect for sharing with friends in the beer garden. To book a table now, head to the website.
Wanna bring your pooch along? Here's our guide to Melbourne's best dog-friendly pubs. We've also rounded up a list of the city's best pubs with fireplaces.
